VideoRay Infrastructure - Lock, Dam, & Reservoir Inspection

Many agencies use VideoRays to inspect locks, dams, and reservoirs. In the United States, notable users include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. VideoRays are extremely versatile due to their small size and portability. However, their strong thrusters allow them to work in currents exceeding three knots, and their bright lights and maneuverability mean they are often used along with divers on repair jobs – assisting divers and allowing dive supervisors to monitor and advise those doing underwater tasks.

One of the main uses of the VideoRay ROV around dams is to inspect trash racks for build up of debris - this is usually done with an imaging sonar attached to the ROV which will give the operator an idea of the amount of debris present in low visibility environments. A common usage in many areas is to detect the spread of invasive species like Zebra and Quagga Mussels (the first instance of which in Florida was discovered using a VideoRay ROV).

The low cost of both acquisition and storage of a VideoRay allows agencies to keep one "on the shelf" and ready to respond before dive teams can be mobilized in emergencies. VideoRay’s ease of deployment, low power consumption, and wide range of sonars, positioning systems, water quality sensors, metal thickness gauges, etc. make the ROV a very versatile tool.